


Comfort and Tidings of Joy

by Goddess47



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Post-Mission, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:09:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28202901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goddess47/pseuds/Goddess47
Summary: "Potter, what are you doing lying on the floor?" Severus asked, sounding pained.Harry sighed in frustration. Kreacher would let Severus in. Bloody hell. "It's comfortable?""Try again," Severus demanded."Did Kingsley send you?" Harry asked."No, but I heard about your case," Severus admitted. "It's of the utmost secrecy, so of course everyone knows what happened."
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 13
Kudos: 251
Collections: (a very mini) Mini Fest 2020





	Comfort and Tidings of Joy

**Author's Note:**

> For Mini-Fest on Live Journal, thank you for running this fest again.
> 
> Warning for brief discussion about death of children.

"Potter!" Kingsley Shacklebolt said firmly. "Go home and stay there for a week."

"But..."

"No buts." Shacklebolt was firm. "We got the bad guys. You've written the basic report and nothing is going to happen for at least a week."

"I know... but..."

"Harry. Go home. Get some food and some sleep. In that order. And don't come back here for a week." Shacklebolt said softly but deliberately. "In fact, don't come back until after the first of the year."

"I guess..." Harry sighed.

"We don't always get a perfect ending. Even the best of us. Go home."

Harry waved a hand and the papers on his desk filed themselves away. He trudged over to the coat rack and grabbed his cloak.

"And take the Floo, you're so tired you'll splinch yourself if you try to Apparate," Shacklebolt called as he left Harry's office. "Go ahead and use the one in my office."

Harry sighed. He hated that Kingsley was right. He trudged over to the office and grabbed a handful of powder. 

"Grimmauld Place!" Harry stepped into the Floo and then found himself on the floor of the Parlor with Kreacher looking at him and shaking his head. Good thing he had the Floo moved from the kitchen -- the rug in the Parlor was more comfortable than the bare kitchen floor.

"Master Harry needs to pay attention better," Kreacher said.

"Tired," Harry admitted. "Can I get something simple to eat and then I need some sleep." He didn't have the energy to move from the floor just yet.

"Food ready shortly," Kreacher said. He peered at Harry. "Master is not well."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll come to the kitchen in a minute."

"Call if you need help," Kreacher said before going off.

The good news about being home was that he didn't need to go anywhere for at least a few days. Hermione and Ron were away on vacation and had expected him to be working through the holiday. He had begged off every holiday invitation, explaining about the big case they were working on in the Auror department. 

As Harry lay on the floor, there was a knocking at the front door.

"Send them away," Harry said aloud.

Harry could hear Kreacher grumble as he went to answer the door. There was the sound of another voice and then the door shut. Harry closed his eyes. He'd move in a minute.

"Potter, what are you doing lying on the floor?" Severus asked, sounding pained.

Harry sighed in frustration. Kreacher would let Severus in. Bloody hell. "It's comfortable?"

"Try again," Severus demanded.

"Did Kingsley send you?" Harry asked.

"No, but I heard about your case," Severus admitted. "It's of the utmost secrecy, so of course everyone knows what happened."

Harry had to close his eyes and just breathe for a moment. "Go away."

"Kingsley told me he sent you home until after the New Year," Severus said. "You going to lie there for over a week?"

"No, at some point I plan to sleep here," Harry said wryly. "Not sure I can go too far, if you must know."

"I suspected as much." Severus gave a sigh. "Mobilicorpus!"

"What!" Harry squawked. "Put me down!"

"Just taking you to the dining room," Severus said. "I assume Kreacher is organizing some food."

"Yes," Harry admitted. "I'll assume there will be enough to share. You might as well join me."

"I will be glad to," Severus said.

Dinner was tomato basil soup, toasted cheese sandwiches and hot chocolate. Comfort food at its finest.

"Thank you Kreacher," Harry said. 

"Master Severus stay tonight?" Kreacher asked.

Harry looked at Severus. "You're welcome to stay. Unless you have someone else to be, being Christmas Eve."

Severus nodded. "I celebrate Yule and not Christmas, so it's just another day tomorrow. And I think I will stay, thank you."

"I fix room across from Master Harry," Kreacher said. "Keep eye on him."

Harry was too tired to protest the coddling. It actually felt good.

Severus hovered as Harry briefly washed up and went off to bed. 

"Going to tuck me in?" Harry said without thinking. Then blushed. He was too tired to be around Severus, the exhaustion dropped his filters.

"Next time," Severus replied with a small grin. 

Harry felt his face get hotter. "Good night, thank you."

"Do you need a sleeping draught?" Severus asked. "I have one with me."

"I should be fine," Harry said through a yawn.

"Good night," Severus said.

Harry swam to consciousness. He was warm and comfortable in a way he hadn't been in a long time. Then there was a puff of breath against the back of his neck. What? He realized there were long arms holding him snug.

"Are you awake?" Severus asked sleepily from behind him.

Harry nodded.

The arms disappeared and the body moved away. "It was the only way you would stay calm and asleep. You had a nightmare that would not go away until I crawled into the bed."

"I... Sorry?" Harry said. 

"Fortunately, once I held you, you quieted down and seemed to sleep better." Severus was matter-of-fact about sleeping with Harry.

Harry rubbed a hand over his face. "That case we just closed... it... it was horrid."

"That probably need addressing," Severus went on. He held up a hand. "I have had my own demons to slay and found I needed help."

Harry couldn't argue with that. He nodded.

"Kreacher!" Severus said.

"Master Severus called?"

Wait. Why was Kreacher answering to Severus? 

"I think we need a hearty breakfast," Severus said before Harry could say anything. "Give us half an hour, please."

"Kreacher will do that!" He popped away.

"Come on, you need a shower," Severus announced. "A real shower, not just a Scourgify."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "I get that. I was grateful when Smythers finally retired. He thought Scourgify covered everything and never cleaned up with water. Even his clothes. It's not that he smelled _bad_ , he just didn't smell right."

"There would occasionally be someone like that in Slytherin," Severus replied. "Most of the time the room-mate would set them straight, but I had to have several uncomfortable conversations about hygiene wtih students over the years."

Harry laughed. 

The shower felt good and Kreacher put on the 'hearty' breakfast Severus had requested. Freshly washed and relatively well rested, Harry ate well.

"Not that I'm sending you away, but if you have something else you need to do, please feel free," Harry said. "I'm just going to hang out and maybe read a book."

"I have nowhere I need to be," Severus promised. "Since it's a holiday, I'm going to be forward and invite myself to spend the day here. Unless you have somewhere to be."

"I wasn't sure that case would be finished, so I've told everyone I was working. No one is expecting me anywhere." Harry took a breath. "I'd like it very much if you want to stay."

"Good," Severus replied. "I should be able to find something to read in your library."

"Kreacher?" The house-elf popped in. "Can we have coffee and hot chocolate in the library?"

"Hot chocolate better for you than coffee, but I bring both," Kreacher replied, then popped away before Harry could say anything more.

"I guess we're getting hot chocolate in the library!" Harry grinned.

"That will be fine," Severus nodded. "We both can use the calories and the chocolate will be good for us."

In deference to the season, Harry lit the fireplace in the library. He picked up a Muggle mystery he had started to read months ago. He had to go back a couple of chapters to pick up the thread of the story again. He heard Severus wander through the library and come back with a thick tome and settle in a comfortable chair near his.

Kreacher brought the promised hot chocolate and Harry had to admit that it tasted particularly good. Finger sandwiches, crisps, and hot tea appeared at some point, and a substantial plate of biscuits when that was gone. 

The sleep debt and the warmth of the fire led to Harry closing his eyes -- _for just a moment_...

The next thing he knew was that he was sobbing and someone was holding him tightly. 

"It's okay..." Severus' rough voice said softly. "It's okay..."

"I couldn't save them!" Harry sobbed. "They were children... they shouldn't have died like that!" 

"I know..." Severus said softly. "There was nothing you could have done differently. They died before you got there..."

"I should have found them sooner!" Harry protested.

Severus swung Harry around so they were face to face. Dark, glittering eyes stared into his. "Harry. You had no way to know, but the children had been killed within hours of their kidnapping. There was Nothing. You. Could. Have. Done."

"Oh, those poor kids." Tears still flowed but it was less violent. Severus handed him a handkerchief and Harry blew his nose. "Wait. How did you know all that?" 

"I was there," Severus said gently.

"But... I didn't see you!" Harry protested. "Only Croaker..." Harry leaned back to stare.

"Yes, I'm Croaker," Severus admitted.

Harry blew his nose again before leaning back into Severus. "You said you worked in a boring _Potions Review_ department. Heading the Department of Mysteries isn't what I would call boring."

Severus gave a small laugh. "No, it's not boring," he admitted. "It's a cover for the work I really do."

"Huh." Harry found he didn't want to move.

"You better?" Severus asked. 

Harry shrugged. "Better, I guess." They sat together in silence. "This is nice."

"It would be nicer on a chair," Severus said dryly. 

Harry flicked a finger to cast a cushioning charm. 

"Don't do that where anyone can see what you're doing," Severus warned. "If anyone learns you can do wandless _and_ wordless spells, they're going to worry about how powerful you are. We don't want to start anyone worrying about another Dark Lord."

Harry snorted. Even Severus wasn't aware that he was _Master of Death_. That was a conversation for another day.

Kreacher popped in. "Master Severus stay for dinner. Should move in. Master Harry needs the company." 

"We will take your recommendation under advisement," Severus said solemnly. But Harry could see his eyes dancing. 

Kreacher popped away.

"I could use some company," Harry admitted. 

"Just company?"

"Well, this is comfortable," Harry admitted leaning into to Severus. "We could see where this goes."

Severus leaned in for a chaste kiss. One that Harry returned eagerly.

"I was serious about getting some help," Severus said as he helped Harry up. "What we do isn't easy and I have found that a Mind Healer can be helpful."

"I... Yes, you're right," Harry admitted. 

"Good! Now. I think we should start with dinner. Since we both seem to have a few days off from work, we can use that time to see what we would like to do next," Severus proposed.

"Yes, I'd like that!" 

For the first time in a long time, Harry felt happy.


End file.
